Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech Game Preview & Fearless Prediction

Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech Game Preview & Fearless Prediction

There are neutral site games, and there are games in front of close to 150,000 people. Can the game live up to the historic setting? Check out the Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech fearless prediction and game preview.

Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech Game Preview

Broadcast

Appalachian State has a good, strong, veteran team that might win the Sun Belt, but that’s still no excuse for Tennessee to come out and be as flat as it was in the opening night overtime win. The offensive line was a disaster at times, forcing Jalen Hurd to try making too many plays on his own, and the defense couldn’t seem to handle RB Marcus Cox on a consistent basis once he got to the second level.

Virginia Tech will have to find ways to get its playmakers in space, and it should be able to do that.

QB Jerod Evans came up with a solid game throwing four touchdown passes and taking off for a team-leading 46 yards on the ground against Liberty. The running game was able to spread out the wealth and get several parts involved with ten Hokies getting carries – depth might make a big difference against the Vol defensive front. Virginia Tech will get plenty of skill players involved and keep them coming at Tennessee in waves.

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Why Tennessee Will Win

Just kidding.

Tennessee was obviously playing it close to the vest against Appalachian State and didn’t want to show much of anything for Virginia Tech, right? That would at least make a little bit of sense for a team this experienced and this talented.

But give the Vols this – they got the win. It might have taken a minor miracle, and it might have been ugly, but they won a tight game when nothing was going right. Maybe, just maybe, those were the first week kinks everyone wants to work out.

Yeah, Virginia Tech has plenty of options to play around with offensively, but Tennessee isn’t Liberty. The Hokies didn’t get too many big plays out of the running backs and weren’t able to break free. The Vol linebackers had an okay game against ASU, but they should be stars this week – they’ve got to make plays in space.

Can Joshua Dobbs bounceback after a rough first game? He was all over the place in the opener, but there’s a chance he gets enough time to work to be sharper this week. Virginia Tech’s pass rush wasn’t there against Liberty – the Vol O line has to keep its quarterback clean.

What’s Going To Happen?

How will everyone handle the bizarre environment and strange circumstances? Both teams are going to be charged up and motivated, but the Vols will play with a little extra push. They’re not going to rise up and blowout a good Hokie team with Isaiah Ford and the receiving corps to stick around making several big plays deep, but they’ll play better, sharper, and be more physical for the ground attack. Virginia Tech can ball a little, too – it’ll keep it close in the second half with a good day from Evans.